Radstock A team Vs Wells A team

Another week, another tough away day fixture for the A team saw them go down 4-3 in very disappointing circumstances, in a game which they were for long periods much better than their hosts.
A team got off to the worst possible start, conceding a very sloppy goal within 2 minutes as a flick on was met by the Radstock centre forward who lobbed the luckless Bradley Phillips in goal. It is safe to say however that this was the only real chance in the 1st half that the home side created, as wells recovered and took the encounter to the home side. Chances came and went for Ryan Crowther and Louie Ellis before it was Crowther who grabbed a deserved equaliser, scoring a free kick from 20 yards out. Crowther, who caused problems all afternoon for the home side, won his side a penalty on 30 minutes as his effort was adjudged to be handled by the home defender. Peter Vowles stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom right hand corner. At this point there was only one team in the contest, as Will Rivers, Scott Hurley and Jordan Strode Walton also went close before the interval. HT 1-2.

The half time whistle came at the wrong time for the A team, as the second began with the away side playing like they had already won the contest. Compliancy was creeping into their play and a distinct lack of concentration at both defending and attacking thirds ultimately was the down fall for the blues. On 60 minutes Radstock was gifted their equaliser as keeper Phillips, who moments before produced an excellent save from almost identical circumstances, unexplainably spilled a tame free kick right into the path of an on rushing forward for the easiest of tap ins. The blue were gifted a life line on 75 minutes as two substitutes combined to set up Crowther. Tyler Cornish delivered a corner which was met by Jacob Lyons who headed it towards goal, and Crowther was on hand to help it on its way into the roof of the net. A life line for the away side. All they had to do was to see out the remaining 15 minutes and the points were theirs. They failed miserably. Almost straight away Radstock drew level once again as no pressure was applied to the central midfielder who sent the ball high into the 6yard box, which the tall number 10 nodded passed Phillips from a yard out. 5 minutes from time, Radstock scored the winner as a deflected crossed lopped over Phillips to inflict the 2nd league defeat of the season with 4 played. There was however time for Wells to get something out of this contest as Crowther missed the target with a long range effort and Cornish forced a good save out of the home side’s keeper. FT 4-3 to the home side.

‘I cannot understand how we can go from one extreme to the other with a single football match.’ Morris stated afterwards.
‘At half time is was more of the same, move the ball quickly, press when we can, stay compact and deal with the inevitable pressure which the home side were going to put us under, create more chances, score more goals and do not panic. The opposite happened.’

‘I will take some responsibility for this, as even though Tyler Cornish came on and did well, we lost the protection when Will Rivers went off. Tyler is a different player to Will, and clearly showed his quality when in possession and will be an asset for this club once he regains full match fitness, but will’s presence in the middle of the park meant that Radstock had no joy in the 1st half.’

‘That being said, we cannot give goals away. All of their goals were avoidably, with the 2nd and 3rd really difficult to digest. Players with experience should really know a lot better and there needs to be a vast improvement if we are going to achieve what I think we are capable of, otherwise they are out. Potential needs to be fulfilled, not spoken of.’

‘We did have some decent performances today, James Bayliss especially proving once again what a good player he with his work rate and terrific attitude to the team, if only we had a few more like him perhaps we would have got something today.’

This week the A team have to opportunity to put it right, with another tough trip, away to Interhound. 2PM KO.